Warsi: Tories will oppose plans for more state funding of political parties

In an interview in The Times today, Sayeeda Warsi makes clear that the Conservatives will oppose the idea of giving political parties three pounds of state funding for every vote they win. She says:

‘I fundamentally disagree with that. At a time when the country is facing the current economic climate, for us to be thinking about putting £100 million, which could build 20 schools and give you thousands of operations on the NHS, into party political funding is wrong. I think people would be appalled by it. They would say, “That is not what I pay my taxes for”.’

This is a welcome intervention. State funding of parties based on the result of the last general election would be an appalling system. It would heighten the already considerable barriers to entry there are to any new political party breaking through. In other words, tax-payers’ money would be used to bias the party system in favour of the status quo.